Be Thankful For Motivated Employees
Thanksgiving is a time for reflection, generosity
, community and rest. Those still employed during this recessionary era are thankful for their jobs, and the few days they will take for themselves this week. Thanksgiving is the optimist's holiday, where goodwill and liberality trump all feelings of anxiety for at least 24 hours. Perhaps, this is the ultimate time for business leaders to be thankful, and to incorporate that appreciation into their daily work environment and future goals.
As second hand objectives come to a finish, the first quarter is on the horizon and new goals have started to emerge. This is an optimal time for leaders to assess what successes have resulted from last year's efforts, and what can be accomplished with a fresh year and a healthy dose of thankfulness.
The recession has eroded the morale of the workforce population, and leaders should formulate their goals for next year as a response. Despite the decay of employee motivation, there are still a myriad of things to be thankful for. Employees should be thankful for their jobs (obviously), but they should also be thankful for effective business communication, engagement, optimism of the company (as demonstrated by goal setting), and the opportunity to develop despite crisis.
To some this sounds like putting the marshmallows on grandma's sweet potato casserole. Sugar-coating aside, this is a season where gratefulness is acknowledged, and businesses should join the masses in the recognition of gratitude.
Effective business communication is something to be thankful for year-round. Communication requires extensive time and thoughtfulness in order to be effective, and according to most business models the more time you spend on something, the more valuable it becomes. Employees will be thankful for communication, no matter the message, if it is executed properly. This means leaders need to keep potentially negative situations in a well-lit area. Rumors should not be allowed to multiply until they infest every mind in the office.
Employees cannot be thankful for a company that attempts to mask bad news with other incentives, so this year give your employees motivation, and a chance to be thankful for communication. Tell them when the company is facing difficulties; explain why job cuts are a possible resolution, and never mask the true outcomes of business transactions. Like all relationships, business relationships are strongest when communication is prevalent and honest.
Employee engagement is another subject businesses can add to their employee's thankful lists. Engagement does not mean that employees are daily confronted with desks piled with mountains of paper work, and have over flooded inboxes. Engagement means an employee has found the perfect niche of his workload, thanks to his manager or business leader.
Despite the fact that most employees work as a part of a team, each individual has different needs and work tendencies. Based on these behaviors, leaders can determine the rate at which a person is able to accomplish their goals, and what is required to make those goals possible. Employee assessments are an optimal tool when determining the level of engagement required for each individual. When engagement levels mirror an employee's capabilities, the company will profit and the individual will feel valuable and be satisfied.
Let your employees be thankful for their company's optimism. Set goals. Setting goals translates that the company is looking to the future, and that they think employees are capable of continuous productivity. An employee who is met with a list of first quarter goals before the year is up, is encouraged that the company will continue to fight through the economic turmoil, and that they hold a critical place within that fight. Goals are a powerful motivational tool that can be used to specifically address areas of development, and generate thinking to discover an optimal solution. Give your employees goals, and they will be thankful for a meaningful job.
Roasting a turkey takes time, and effective development processes do too. However, employees should be allowed to develop with the assistance of their managers and leaders. The recession stunted many employees' motivation and professional growth, but business leaders have the opportunity to keep their hard-working turkeys cooking, by offering development through training, education, and continued experience.
Companies who place value in their employees by offering growth opportunities are more likely to retain their employees, and reach their business goals. Employees who have been developed by their companies feel valued and respected, and will continue to contribute. Offering further professional education is equitable to offering your employees motivation and a future despite the recession. Give your employees the opportunity to be thankful for growth in a diminutive economy.
The recession has caused everyone to reevaluate what matters most, and to realize many reasons to be thankful. The holiday season is a time to recognize that despite high unemployment rates, and a low dollar value, there are cornucopias of reasons to be grateful. As a business leader, give your employees the opportunity to be thankful for effective communication, engagement, optimism, and the opportunity to develop. Harvey S. Firestone said "You get the best out of others when you give the best of yourself." Give your employees a list of things to be thankful for, and they will give you their best in return.
by: Jim Sirbasku
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